Could you?
by HiddenYori
Summary: My own play on a reincarnation story. Nam Reitdo is dead set on keeping Uchiha Itachi out of war and off the battle field as long as possible. Every mention of early graduation leaves a sense of forlorning in Reitdo's bones, and only adds to vivid dreams of deathly explosions. At least Reitdo can look forward Kushina-sensei's Fuinjutsu class for some semblance of stability.
1. Chapter 1

Uzumaki Kushina, 'The Red Hot-Blooded Habanero of Kohana (™)', is a women who put her all into everything that she did. Never did she half-ass a mission and never she go along for the ride when it came to project she was part of. More importantly, what she loves she loved openly and what she hated she made clear.

It was Kushina's openness with her feelings that allowed Namikaze Minato (and the world) to see just how excited the redhead truly is teaching Fūinjutsu to academy students.

"Kushina-sama, will you please tell us what your students are like?" Nohara Rin asks easily, shooting the women before her an easy smile. Team Minato (and Kushina) are having their customary 'teamwork dinner' at a small tempura restaurant close to the mission desk. "Are there any stand out students?"

The Uzumaki tips her head back blissfully, " All of my students are great and dedicated to learning! But I have found two stand out students in my class."

"Who are they?" Uchiha Obito asks, between bits of his food.

"Well the first student to catch my eye was Uchiha Itachi, not for his Fuinjutsu talents but because he is the youngest student in my class. Most of my students are seniors, yet Itachi is still only a first year student. Despite this age grape, Itachi comprehends all of the material given to him on a theoretical level. His practical level leaves room for improvement, and while I doubt he'll ever become a seal master he is talented enough to at least be a casual practicer of Fuinjutsu."

The black haired boy shorted slightly into his food, "I wouldn't expect less from the Uchiha protege."

"Who is the other student you noticed?" Minato asks his wife gently, trying to diffuse the spike in tension between Obito and Hatake Kakashi.

"Nam Reitdo, she is another first year student, and is actually friends with Itachi despite coming from a civilian home. She is ruff around the edges but nonetheless a nice girl once she gets to know you. Unlike Itachi, Reitdo has a firm grasp of the theoretical AND practical points of Fuinjutsu. I think with the right teacher Reitdo could make a talented Seal master."

.

.

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.

.

.

Looking back on my life and trying to find the 'this is where it all started moment' is hard.

Life is constantly moving streams, milestones are like rocks that are never touched by the same drop of water twice, at least there is that divide until the end of your life, when the water all floods into a single pond. This pond is what represents your impact on the world.

Still, more often than not moments are connect in ways we can't see, maybe because we have too small of a perception or we don't know what to look for.

I am sure there were miss starts in my life, decisions I could have made, and of course the constant 'what if' that surround life by the virtue of human nature.

So I'll start with the raw facts:

My name is Nam Reitdo but you can just call me Reito or Rei.

I have a Mother who works for my Grandfather in his book publishing company/ book store.

I do not have a Father, nor have I ever had a father.

I also have one close friend and his name is Uchiha Itachi.

.

.

.

'I got you a present-'

A sudden flash of blue.

Shining brown hair.

'Wow! Sis is this-'

'-Grandson….Hokage!'

A single kiss.

.

.

.

I wake to the feeling of someone's finger half-heartedly blocking a pressure-point on my forehead. The jab has only enough powerful to cause mild discomfort and wake me, but I know with enough force Itachi could make just a simple jab lethal.

"What?" I ask, pushing away his finger and sitting up in my desk. "Did I miss something?"

Itachi gave a small frown, "Yes, you 'missed' our last two classes of the day. You slept through them...again. You know you are a horrible student, right?"

"...You know I'm not a horrible student. I just don't want to be shipped off the the front lines before my tenth birthday-a self preservation tactic you could look into learning."

Itachi bit his lip slightly as we walked out of the classroom and into the warm spring air, "I could handle it...Being shipped out to the frontlines, I mean. I know I am still young but I am ready to fight if it means protecting my family!"

I roll my eyes slightly as we begin our walk to the Uchiha Village, rummaging through my backpack to find my newest manga book. "Itachi, are you ready to kill another human?"

The Uchiha next to me blushes a light pink before shaking his head no, "I didn't think so. I hate to break it to you, but the only thing you could do at the frontlines right now is die a meaningless death. Until you are ready to kill, the only place for us is the academy."

A silence sets in as we continue our walk, the silence is more thoughtful than uncomfortable and for that I am glad.

"Reito?" I hum in acknowledgement, not looking up from the pages of my manga. "Are you ready to kill someone?"

"...Ya, I am."


	2. Chapter 2

'Congratulations-'

'It was our grandfathers-'

Brown eyes.

'-run from battle''

Love.

.

.

.

.

The events that take place in the following months are a blur to me, filled with too much political tap dancing by Itachi's clan to be deemed important.

Things don't become real to me until I saw one of the Uchiha Elders, Itachi's Grandfather, being hung upside down by his ankles. But what will always be etched in my mind is Kushina-Sensei's murderous look as red chains formed in her hands...and the Uchiha Elder's blue underwear with the Uchiha clan's symbol printed over them flapping freely in the wind.

Still, as the months wound down the weight of everything began to set in and it hit me like a punch in the face.

Uchiha Obito is dead.

Despite not knowing the Chunin well, I had seen him around the Uchiha compound often and found him to be a nice man. Maybe it wasn't Obito's death that began to set in at the end of the week, but more that someone I was often close enough to touch is dead because of the war going outside our village walls.

Realizing this fact is...depressing.

But It also only strengthened my resolve to not allow Itachi to graduate too soon from the Academy.

Itachi couldn't die yet, I will not let him.

"-better now." Itachi's soft voice broke my intense concentration on the gray grave marker before me. "I finally see what you were talking about."

I blink twice to shake off the lingering cloudiness of my inner musing, only to realize that the setting sun means the two of us have been standing over the grave for two hours. A faint twinkle of starlight has begun to glow in the changing sky, while the temperature begame to drop lower with the orange sun.

"...I'm sorry, I spaced out. Now what are you saying?"

Itachi let out a long suffering grown, at least the best that a five year old could perform, and rubbed the bridge of his nose. Though, I could see the faint hints of fondness hidden in his eyes. "I said, I understand where you're coming from better now. Why you don't want me to graduate early, why you try so hard to not draw attention to yourself, and why you are so against children being sent to the frontline...If someone as strong as Cousin Obito could be killed after years of training, then children like us wouldn't stand a chance.

Coming from a ninja clan, or maybe coming from the Uchiha clan, war has always been a normal part of life. I was taught from a young age that dying for my village is expected of me. Civilian children aren't raised with that mindset."

"1,324." I stated simply, grimacing at the confusion in Itachi's face. "I only enrolled into the Academy because of the draft, all able bodied civilian children between the ages of 5-16 are required by law to become ninjas. 2,000 children were drafted in all but only 1,324 are left. The rest of us are dead."

"When was the Draft implemented?"

"...About six months ago."

"Do you ever feel like everything you ever thought you knew has been flipped on its head?"

….

By the time my seventh (and Itachi's sixth) birthday came and went, Itachi and I found ourselves attending funerals at an alarming frequency.

Most of the funerals were for other 'Draft Kids' who were killed in the line of duty. Only 900 children of are left, the rest are dead and buried (if there was even a body left to bury).

A few of the funerals were for Uchiha's who were killed in the line of duty. No one Itachi personally knew well but the increasing number of his clan member's untimely deaths ate away at him.

The Itachi's clan as a whole took Itachi and I's friendship in strides, most of the clan even seemed to accepted me as some kind of honorary member. For this reason, I spend most of my time at Itachi's house and with his family.

Despite all the death surrounding us not many things changed, Itachi and I, in terms of our daily lives. We still went to school, attended afterschool training programs, played games, read books, and tried to better refine our ninja skills.

The only major changes in our lives is Kushina-Sensei's resignation as a teacher and her husband's rise to Fourth Hokage. Though we don't often talk about it both Itachi and I miss the red headed fujitsu instructor.

Still life goes on...

Itachi raises an eyebrow when I skip into our classroom with a smile on my face. He easily guesses why my mood suddenly took a complete 180, and didn't ask any questions. Instead, like the smart boy he is, he simply leaned back in his seat and waited for the show to begin.

Our classroom smells heavily of chalk dust, and the sun shines in through the windows welcomely. It is a perfect day, and I love ruining these types of days five ways to hell.

"Yes, Reitdo-chan?" My teacher asks hesitantly, his eyes scanning my form for any hint of danger. "Do you need something?"

"A dog ate my homework," For proof I pulled a baggy from my bag filled with chewed up paper, dog drool, and peanut butter. "See?"

"I do see...but why did a dog eat your homework?" Sensei-Sua asks evenly, only his eyes betraying his desperations.

For effect I tilt my head to the side as if I am deep in thought, "It could have been because I covered it in peanut butter and asked them to."

"Sit. down. Now."

"Y'sir." I yell while salute the man and marching to my seat beside Itachi, leaning into the boy slightly so I could whisper in his ear undetected. "The dog I fed my homework to could talk."

"Did you find the dog near the Inuzuka compound?"

"No, the dog I fed my work to was sitting on another dog's head outside of a bookstore. That's not even the weirdest thing, after he chewed my papers he asked if I wanted to feel his paw. It was the softest thing I've ever felt."

Itachi soundlessly chuckled into his elbow, which is equivalent to a normal person rolling on the floor. "Anything else."

"...I think he uses the same shampoo as us."

"We must find and kill this dog."

"...What the actual fuck Itachi?"

….

It turns out that finding that dog was harder a second time.

...

I draw my bow string back with ease, letting my eyes carefully track the movement and account for future movement, before I release the cable. My string cracks back to release it's tension and my arrow sails into the clearing. The arrow head easily sails through the air and into a deer's side.

Jumping from the tree branch I make my way to the animal's side in quick strides. A slight shift in air informs me of another presence kneeling by the deers side.

"Thank you great beast for your sacrifice," I murmur steadily as I let my knife slide deliberately across the animal's throat. "I respect your sacrifice and honor your spirit in the after life."

"I haven't seen you on a hunt in a while." My father's gruff voice says from my side, his skilled knife already cleaning the deer with a purpose. "I thought you were to busy."

I can only shrug, "I would rather be on a hunt with the clan."

"We miss you."

"I miss you all to."

We finish the butchering in silence, both focused on the task set before us. Weighed down by the deer I notice the unfamiliarity of the land we're in. "Whose land are we on? I don't remember hunting here before."

"It's a ninja clan land but I only think there is the kid left. I can't remember the name off the top of my head." This point was emphasized by the scratching of my fathers bold head. "I know the kid's father killed himself after a failed mission. Anyone you know of?"

"No one I've heard of."

"Nice enough kid I'll introduce you if he comes by again. The deer population is so large here that I can't imagine he won't pay for another hunt eventually...I think you two could be good for each other. I don't think he likes be a ninja either."


	3. Chapter 3

'-Genin-'  
Green

-

Easy smile

-  
'-only a Genin''  
-Comfort.  
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Itachi chews a piece of Dango thoughtfully as I pick at my melonpan, both of us content in the other's company and comfortable silence. At least I thought we were both comfortable sitting in silence until Itachi started talking. "Why do so many people not like you? It doesn't really make sense. Most of the people don't even know you."

Leaning back slightly, I thought about how to respond to Itachi's question. "...Different reasons, I guess. Some people just think I'm rude and arrogant, and I mean- that pretty fair. I do have a rude speech patterns, I'm open about things I don't like, and I do think I'm better than other people.

But most of the people you are referring to don't like me because I'm part of the Nam clan, and they don't like what my clan stands for."

"Which is?"

"Well, we are one of the few indigenous clans that were here before the Leaf Village was established. The only four surviving clans from that time period are the Nam's, Nara's, Haruno's, and Aburame's. The Nam is the only clan to reject the ninja way of life, the absolute authority given to the Hokage and his council, and we continue to carry on our semi-nomadic way of life.

For these reasons the Nam's sacred Clan lands is considered sovert from the Leaf village. Which always cause problems when it comes times for drafts, taxes, or government practices like marriage or adoption.

Right now, there is a big fight over the Hokage drafting myself and two of my cousins. My family feels like I we shouldn't have been included in the draft, as we don't agree with the ninja way of life. While the Leaf council's believe all my cousins within the age range of the draft should have been included. My family refuses to give in and send more children to their death, so for that reason lot of villagers are angry at us."

Itachi's face look passive but I could see the horror filling his eyes, "I didn't know any of this...I'm a terrible friend. I'm so sorry."

Jumping from my seat I grab the boys hands tightly in my own, "Never, for a second think that you are a terrible person. I'm sorry for never mentioning anything about this before."

….

"Girl! Peanut-Butter-Girl! Peanut-Butter-Nam-Girl!"

I froze for a minute, vaguely recognizing the huff- weaze filled voice traveling closer and closer to me. Still, I refuse to think that a -talking- dog could break into my room without raising a single alarm. I mean talking or not it's just a dog!

"Nam girl!" The vaguely familiar dog practically screeched as not one, not three, but eight dogs scampered into my room. "We've been looking for you, this is the fourth room we've gone into. Everyone in your clan smells too similar, hints of fresh leaves, dirt, and the wind. You have a faint metallic smell no one else has though, it's almost an impossible scent to pick up in a ninja village like ours."

"...How did you get in-"

"We're ninken!"

"Okay." I should ask more questions, I really should but to be honest 'We're ninken' is actually a decent answer to give. I hope their owner never wants to try and break in to the compound. "What are you doing here?"

"We came to tell you that you can hunt on our land whenever you want."

The small pug like dog before me makes me smile, "Where is your land, Pug-Kun?"

"Pukkun." The dog informs me, using his leverage on another dog, to pat my head with his incredibly soft paw. "You were on our land last week, we watched you shoot a deer with a bow. Good shot, by the way. Boss said, from now on he doesn't mind if you come back, he could see how relaxed you were just being in the trees for hours."

"Who is your boss?" I ask curiously, to desensitized by living in a village where stelth is praised, to care that someone was watching me without my permission or knowledge.

"You'll meet him eventually, we've got to go now but we got you something." Pukkun explains while setting a scroll at my feet. "Goodbye!"

With that last word all eight dogs were gone, leaving me alone with just a scroll at my feet and the distant yelling of one of my aunts 'Why are there paw prints on the ceiling!'.

'Fujitsu:The art of trap seals'

Interesting.

….

I can't help but smile for Itachi, the normal stoic and refined boy is practically giddy to find out that he will be a big brother in just a few short months. If there is ever a perfect moment it is this.

"-don't think you or Shusui are going to worm out of your big sibling duties, Reitdo." Mikato huffes jokingly in my direction, where I may or may not be discreetly filling Shisui's high collar coat with unwanted squash.

"Me?" I ask.

"Yes, Reitdo. It might surprise you to know that we do see you as one of our own children, you do after all spend enough time eating off our table." Fugaku said, eyes glimmering with soft mirth, a look that filled my entire body with a strong sense of happiness. "Do you even have another home."

I stopped smiling at once, because I do have another home.

A home I no longer can feel apart of because I was drafted into the military.

853 'Draft kids' are left and I am the only Nam among the survivors.

….

The lake before us (Fugaku, Shisui, Itachi, and myself) glitters like sapphires in the hot summer afternoon sun. The dock and nature around us is ideal, or they would be ideal if Faguka was not breathing actual fucking fire into the actual fucking lake!

That shits actually pretty hot!

"This is a coming of age jutsu that all Uchihas are expected to learn: Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique. I will teach all of you the required hand signs, but you must each figure out how to perform the technique separately. "

I only raise an eyebrow at the man before me, but accepted that I would be expected to learn this jutsu.

"Hai!" The three of us course at the clan leader.

"Good, now we shall begin."

….

I feel the repercussions of breathing fire creap through my throat before I even cancel the fire ball jutsu. It burns like a bastard! "S-s-shit!"

….

"Peanut Butter girl." I debate walking away, I really do, but apart of me knows that they could easily find me again. Ninken are weird. "What are you doing here?"

I smile while leaning down to scratch behind Pakku's ears, petting another dog on the head softly when he started whining for attention. "My name is Reitdo, or just Rei."

"That's a nice name. So, what are you doing here, Reitdo?"

I shrug as I continue my stroll through the trees surrounding the academy, "I didn't feel like learning how to be a killer today, I thought I would go on a stroll instead."

"Why don't we go to a yard, we can eat your homework, you can feed us peanut butter, and we can give you a new scroll we got for you."

"Do you just come to me for peanut butter?"

"It is one of the reasons we come to you."


	4. Chapter 4

"-..Got this -sensei!"

...

...

...

Explosions. Pain. Snakes.

...

"Where do you guys even get these scrolls?" I ask Pakkun lightly, skimming the 'packs' newest donation to my steadily growing Fujitsu knowledge, 'Sealing: Scroll symbols and inventory systems'.

All of the pack surround where I am casually leaning against a tree on the edge of the Nam clan's land, each dog laying in different stages of sleep, I leisurely stroke each dog's head in an affectionate matter between sections of my reading.

After our sixth random meetings, always initiated by the pack (Pakkun), I have finally been permitted to learn each of the dogs names, Pakkun, Bull, Urushi, Shiba, Bisuke, Akino, Uhei, and Guruko, respectively. I have not been permitted to learn the name of their 'boss' though, it's up to me to figure it out.

Pakkun looks up at me with bearily eyes, "Boss' pack mother mostly, she doesn't mind up taking them because she assumes they're for Boss. She probably would still give them to us if we told her the truth, but it's easier to ask for forgiveness than permission. Especially, since she's becoming pregnant, she's turned into a real demon."

Flashes of various mental snapshots of a pissed off Mikato-san ran through my mind. Each snapshot consist of the usually composed clan women fat, angry, and usually eating tomatoes… "I understand."

"We thought you would...you know you could easily join the Tactical: Sabotage Division once you graduate the academy? It would be a nice, safe job that would keep you off the front lines." Bull offers hesitantly, "You have a talent, and you won't die as quickly when we go back to war."

I sign, having recognized the easy opportunity myself months ago, "I can't, not now at least, I have to move to the front lines to protect Itachi. Maybe one day...if I survive long enough- I can go hide in the Sabotage Division."

"Is Itachi part of your pack?" Urushi askes, in a lazy sort of curiosity that reminds me of a Nara boy in my class.

"Yes...Itachi is part of my pack."

"Good," Akino yawns. "It's important to protect the pack, so you protect Itachi and we'll protect you."

"What about 'boss'?"

"We'll make him protect you. He needs someone to protect, just like you need someone to protect you, at least until your fangs grow in. His pact has been taken away slowly but you can help him rebuild it."

~~..~~..~~

"What do you mean you passed?!" I look at the Uchiha boy critically, not letting up my hard look even when Itachi turns an impressive red color. "I thought we talked about this, if you graduate too early you will die."

"I understand your concern," Itachi whispers softly, a hard edge within his voice. "If you aren't ready, you are welcome to stay at the academy and remain stagnant. While you are busy lazing around, I will be busy protecting the ones I care about. I have the Uchiha clan pride to think about."

Akino' s sleep filled voice briefly pops into my mind, 'It's important to protect the pack, so you protect tachi and we'll protect you'. Instead of calming me, all the reminder did was make my anger boil over. I shouldn't have to go to the front lines to protect my pack, don't I matter!

"Fuck you, Itachi." I hiss venomously, "Go sacrifice your life before your new brother gets the chance to know you. Just know, you'll never be able to go back and redo this decision. From this moment forward you are nothing but a weapon to this village."

742 draft kids left and Itachi is willing to through his life away!

~~..~~..~~

"Don't you think you were a little hard on Itachi?"

I don't even have to turn around to know it is Uchiha Shisui standing behind me, the curly haired boy is careful to not cross onto the Nam's clan land. The only living, because the other two were massacred in a war they didn't even want to fight in (!), shinobi (in training) with the right to be on the Nam's land is myself.

"No." I answer truthfully. "I just told him the truth. No matter what you, your clan, or he thinks, he is just a six year old boy. He will die because of this decision forced on him."

736 draft kids left.

~~..~~..~~

Months pass quickly, I turn eight, Itachi turns seven, and Mikato has a baby boy who is named Uchiha Sasuke.

I grow distant from the proud clan, so distant, that I only find out about Sasuke's birth because of the birth announcement that is run in the village's news paper.

Itachi is denied early graduation because the Fourth Hokage declaring that the village will not be sending children to their slaughter, now that the war is over. Itachi, while talented at the Shinobi arts, lacks the mental maturity (and quite frankly the psychological evaluation) to become a child ninja in times of peace.

I don't even try to hide the smug and knowing smile on my face.

~~..~~..~~

A warm buzzing that vibrates my whole chest forces me into consciousness, the silence that meets my tiered ears is the calm before the storm. At once the cool air that dances through my open window becomes too oppressive to breath, harsh scarlett tassels float through the air aggressively. Screams of agony replace the silence of the night air.

"We are under attack!"

"It's a demon!"


End file.
